Milo merkill



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MILO lidIllRItILL,y OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Lette/rs .Patent N 98,876, dated January 18, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAY-KNIFE.

' The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent ani makz'zg p'art of the same I, MILo MERmLL, of the county of Oneida, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Hay-Knives, of which the following is a specitieation.

My invention rela-testo the nianufacture of a very` durable and economical hay-knife, with` Haring or V- shaped edges, whieh is also Very convenient to op.-`

y as the letter V.

rlhe other end of the shank is forked,and provided with two bolts, c c, which are inserted into a wooden handle, C, and fastened to it by nuts :l d. 'lhe arms b b being square,- and presentinglarger area than the bolts, keep the handle in position.

Neal-the upper end, at B, `the shank is bent forward, which enables lthe operator to propel the hayknit'e ,with his foot, on the stirrup or brace e, withou losing the balance ot'his own body.

To manuiheture this hayknit'e, I select a plate of steel of the proper thickness, and ofthe length of the intended hay-knife. iI eut said steel plate into parallel strips, ofthe breadth intended forthe shank' otf` my hay-knife. I then split the said strips at both ends,rv

and after this, shape the cutting-edgesand bolts on each strip, give the bend at B, and iinally, after the proper'griinling Vand polishing, fasten the stirrnp e. The fastening of the cross-handle I have alrezuly-de` scribed.

The advantages of this construction may easily be understood. This method enables nie .to save a good deal ot' labor, which ,fully balances the expense for the superior material.. The implement so made, is far more durable, and ot' less weight, than those haylsnives with iron Vshanks welded on to steel knives, which are used at present. y

But the greatest advantage' of my improved hayknite is, that when the blades a a begin to. get short bywearing and sharpening, Vthe shank A may be split further up, and the blades stretched and reshaped.

Thus the shank itself will prove` its usefulnessfuntil it ceases to exist. r

I am fully aware that flaring knife-blades are patented, also stil-rups and foot-braoes, therefore I do not claim said parts of my invention.

I claim, ,as an improvedy article of manufacture, the within-described hay-knife, constructed substantially as set forth. l l

MIL() MERRILL.

Witnesses:

FRANK SMITH, J. H. PHILLIP. 

